Game officiating device



Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED. STATE S. PATENT FFlCEZ.

GAME OFFICIATIN G DEVICE Thomas H. Filmore, Springfield, Mass.

Application June 25, 1940, Serial-No. 342,233

9 Claims: (Cl. 177-384) My invention relates to mechanismfor'-the--- control of play in such games as hockey, basket ball, and the like.

It has for one object the provision. of meansby which the official charged with the duty of su-' pervising and controlling the play may'do so from a Vantage point removed from the field of play itself.

With this general object-in view a further 013-,1 Ject is to improve the quality of the officiating by giving to the oilicial a more comprehensive view of the play.

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification and claims.

My invention hasparticular application to games where the play is especially fast such as hockey and basket ball. In hockey for example,

the movement of the players is exceedingly swiftand the changes of position of the players,'the

development and alteration-of player formations,.:

and the movement of the puck, tak place with.

great rapidity.v .It.has proved a practical impos-.-

sibility for an ofiicial :positioned on the ice to completely and adequately follow the play. Many infractions of the playing rules clearly observed by the spectators go uncalled by the officialsimply because the latter cannot see them. As; a result merited penalties are not imposed and unjustified charges of incompetence and favoritism are leveled at the ofiicial. .As .willbe later apparent, these and other difiicultles are overcome by the use of my invention- In the accompanying drawing in which myine Fig. 3 is an illustrative Wiring diagram showing one manner of operating the controls using three setsof indicator lights; and

Fig, 4 is an illustrative diagram indicating an alternative form in which two sets of lights are used."

Referring to the drawing; the'ice playingfield is indicated at 10 and is surrounded by a fence I l which may be of usual or desired construction,

the goal nets are indicated at. 12, and the .blue' lines at l3 and 14. .It will be .understoodbthat approved practice will be followed in .regardto.

the dimensionsof the field.

In carrying outmyinvention. Iprovidev at intere vals around the fence ll rasplurality. of,;sig:na1=iu lights generally indicated at l5. Asindicated in Fig. 2 these lights are carried in recesses or boxes l6 opening. toward the playing field, the openings being provided with protective glass, wire screening or other transparent or translucent covers l6 which are set flush withthe boards of fence ll. As shownin Figs-1, 2 and 3, each box It is provided with three colored electric bulbs designated Y,-R.,-andG, which for purposes of description may beconsidered to represent the colors Yellow, Red and Green, although it .will be understood that othercolor combinations may be used.

As will shortly be more fully described, the yellow lights are wired in parallel in a single circuit controlled by a single switch placed incontrol box 19 so that when switch l8 is closed all of the yellow lights are lighted: Thered lights are similarly controlled from switch 20 in;,th'e control box. The green lights are wired in parallel in groups, the green-lights in the boxes I6 at the four end positions or stations a being'controlled from switch A, the opposed pair atstations b by switchB, and groups 0, d,e, and

f by switches C, D, E, and F, respectively, all positioned in control box I 9.

Referringto. the diagram of'Fig. 3, a common return for all of the lights is indicated at 25. A 1 lead for the yellow lights is shown at 26 and is connected to a mainlead 21 through switch 13. 1 The lead for the red lights is shown ta 28 and is connected to the main lead 21 through switch 29. The green lights. of group a are connected to lead 29 which is connected to the main lead 21 through switch A. The green lights ofgroup b are connected to a lead '30 which is connected to'-- main. lead 21 through switch B. The green lights of group 0 are connected to lead 3| which is connected tomain lead 21 through switch C. Similarly leads '32, 33, and-34 respectively connect groups 01, e, and f (not shown in the diagram) to the :common lead?! through their respective switches D, E; and F.

As above stated, all of thecontrolswitches are grouped in the control box -l9. The control box is placedin-a-position sufficiently remote-from, and sufiicientlyflelevated above the-playing field so thati-the oflicialcperating the-controls has a full and-adequateview'of the field and the players thereon.

In operation when the official notes an offside playhe, closes switch l8, thus lighting the yellow lights .in:a1l.the,:boxes l6, indicatingito the playersand spectators that .-'.an offside has occurred andtplay is. to..stop.,; .In.'.case an infraction of ;;the: rulessincurring a PBnaltytakes placey-the ofiicial l8 conveniently the yellow or red lights have been extinguished; the green lights define an imaginary line across the rink indicating to the assistant on the ice the position lengthwise of the field at which the face-off is to take place. The pairs of green lights at positions I), c, and e and the opposed pair of lights in the groups a and f define other lines upon which a face-off may be directed to sistant may drop the puck for the resumption of play.

While I have shown the control switches as directly controlling the several signal circuits, it will be understood that the diagrams of Figs. 3 and 4 are illustrative only and that conventional relay circuits may be employed where the character of the current or other circumstances require and that the type of switches used and the other wiring details may accord with any standard or desired practice.

I claim:

1; In combination with a playing field, a game officiating device which comprises a plurality of indicators distributed at intervals around said field and visible therefrom, said indicators being positioned in predetermined relation to the playing features of the field which govern play thereon, and switch controlled electrical actuattake place by the oliicial through closure of switches B,C, E, A or F respectively.

It will be understood that the number of light positions may be greater or less than that shown and the positions indicated with respect to the playing features of the field, such as the nets and blue lines, by the light combinations may be varied as the'rules adopted or the character lights used to stop the play and simultaneouslyindicate that an off-side has occurred, as the reason therefor, are also subsequently used in lieu of the green light circuits, previously described, to start the play both after an offside or the calling of a penalty. In Fig. 4 the stations a, b, 0, etc. are provided only with yellow and red lights. As in the arrangement previously described, the red lights are placed across the common return 25 and a line or lead 28, the

latter being connected, as before, through switch 20 to the main lead 21. The yellow lights at the several positions a, b, c, d, e, and ,f are, however,

provided with separate circuit leads 39, 4%], M,

42, 43, and 44 controlled by the switches A, B, C, D, E, and F, which previously controlled the green circuits, and. which selectively close the circuits of the lights at said several positions. Switch I8 is replaced by a multiple contact switch 45 which simultaneously closes all of the circuits 39 to 44 inclusive to light the yellow lights at all positions when an offside is called. In some games a single set of lights wired and controlled as above described with reference to the yellow lights in Fig. 4 may suflice.

The fact that the stop-play lights are arranged around the entire field assures that one or more will always be within the line of vision of all the players and the spectators as well, and the indication given persists as long as the controlling switch remains closed. Similarly the starting lights may be kept on until all players have taken position, and the ofiicial has ascertained, in case substitute players go on the ice, that the substitution is completed. The starting lights are then extinguished as an indication that the asing means for selectively actuating said indicators simultaneously or in predetermined groups.

2. In combination with a playing field a game officiating device which comprises a plurality of electrically operated signal lights distributed at intervals around said field and visible therefrom,

electrically operated signal lights distributed at "intervals around said field and visible therefrom,

said lights including at least two sets of lights difiering in color, electric circuits for actuating each of said sets independently, the circuit actuating one of said sets being adapted to actuate predetermined portions of that set selectivelyto designate predetermined locations on the field,

and switches controlling said circuits, said switches being operable from a position commanding a view of the playing field. v

' 4. In combination with a playing field a game officiating device which comprises a set of electrically operated signal lights distributed at intervals around the borders of said field and visible therefrom, said lights being positioned in predetermined relation to the playing features of said field which governplay thereon, electrical circuits for selectively actuating predetermined groups of said lights, at least one other set of signal lights arranged at the borders of said field and visible therefrom, an electrical circuit for actuating the lights of the latter set simultaneously, and switches controlling said several circuits.

5. In combination with a playing fielda game ofilciating device which comprises a set of elec-, trically operated signal lights distributed at intervals around the borders of said field and visible therefrom, said lights being positioned in predetermined relation to the playing features of said field which govern play thereon, electrical circuits for selectively actuating said lights simultaneously or in predetermined groups, a second set of signal lights distributed at intervals around the borders of said field and visible therefrom, an electrical circuitfor actuating all the lights of, said second set simultaneously, and switches controlling said circuits, "said switches being operable from a position commanding a View of the playing field. r

6. In combination with a playing field a game ofiiciating device which comprises a set of electrically operated signal lights all of a given color distributed at intervals around the borders of said field and visible therefrom, said lights being positioned in predetermined relation to the playing features of said field which govern play thereon, electrical circuits for selectively actuating said lights simultaneously or in predetermined groups, a second set of signal lights, all of a given color different from that of the first set, distributed at intervals around the borders of said field and visible therefrom, an electrical circuit for actuating all the lights of said second set simultaneously, and switches controlling said circuits, said switches being operable from a position commanding a view of the playing field.

'7. In combination with a playing field a game ofliciating device which comprises a set of electrically operated signal lights of a given color distributed at intervals around the border of the playing field and visible therefrom, means to simultaneously actuate said lights to signal stoppage of play, a set of electrically operated signal lights of a color different from the first set, and means to selectively actuate predetermined portions of the lights of the second group to designate the position on the field at which play is to restart.

8. In combination with a playing field a game ofliciating device which comprises a plurality of signals distributed at intervals around the playing field and visible therefrom, means to actuate all said signals simultaneously to signal stoppage of play and means to selectively actuate predetermined groups of said signals to designate the position on the field at which play is to restart.

9. In combination with a playing field a game ofiiciating device which comprises a plurality of signal stations distributed at predetermined positions around the playing field and visible therefrom, at least one electrically operated signal light at each of said stations, electrical circuits for actuating said lights, and switches controlling said circuits including a switch mechanism to establish a closed circuit to each of said stations and switch mechanisms selectively operable prior to the opening of the circuits established by the first named switch mechanism to establish a closed circuit to less than all of said stations independently of said first switch mechanism.

THOMAS H. FILMORE. 

